Campaigners win permission for judicial review over visitor centre near landmark

A judge has given permission for a crowd-funded judicial review challenge to the grant of planning permission for a visitor’s centre near a landmark in York.

City of York Council’s planning committee gave approval for English Heritage’s plans in relation to Clifford’s Tower on 27 October last year.

Cllr Johnny Hayes, the independent councillor bringing the case, said: “We are obviously delighted that the green light has been given for the case to move to High Court.”

He added that the trial would probably take place at Leeds Crown Court during the first week of May.

Cllr Hayes said on the Crowd Justice site that despite the judicial review, the council's executive decided 'in principle' at a meeting last week that the necessary land should be sold to English Heritage, subject to the outcome of the case. Together with three other councillors, he intends to ‘call in’ that decision.

So far £10,195 has been raised towards a stretch target of £16,000 for funding the challenge. This is expected to take the campaigners up to the end of April while their QC prepares the case. However, it does not cover the actual trial days.